Daniil Medvedev's Coaching Shake-Up: Trial Run with Thomas Johansson Explained (2025)

Daniil Medvedev made a big coaching move recently in a bid to turn his ATP Tour fortunes around.

After almost a decade together, Medvedev split with Gilles Cervara after the US Open.

Replacing him, Medvedev hired Thomas Johansson on a trial basis, bringing in the 2002 Australian Open champion to his team.

The pair will begin their coaching relationship at the Hangzhou Open, with Medvedev set to play Nishesh Basavareddy in round one.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, the former ATP world number one has shared how long his ‘trial’ with Johansson is set to last.

Thomas Johansson will coach Daniil Medvedev until at least the end of 2025

During a pre-tournament press conference, Medvedev shared the details of his coaching relationship with the 50-year-old Swede.

“For the first time in my career, I was without a coach. I talked to a lot of people, asked how they saw my tennis, how I could improve,” he said.

“Some of the experts I called were not available, and some did not have a vision that I liked. Thomas [Johansson] and Rohan [Goetzke] presented their vision of the situation, and I liked it.

“I decided to work with them. We trained for a week and a half in Monte Carlo, and it was great. So far, everything is going well. I hope it will show in the tournaments.

“We have agreed to a trial run until the end of the year, and then we will see.”

Medvedev is set to play several tournaments in Asia before heading off to Europe for the final few weeks of the year.

The 2020 champion is unlikely to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, an event he hasn’t missed since 2018.

Medvedev currently sits 22nd in the race, trailing eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti by 1,300 points.

Any realistic hopes of qualifying for the event were dashed at the US Open, when Medvedev’s disastrous Grand Slam campaign drew to a close.

After winning 18 Grand Slam matches in 2024, he won just one in 2025 and has now lost in the first round of three consecutive major tournaments.

Daniil Medvedev at Grand Slams in 2025

• 2025 Australian Open 1R [WIN] vs Kasidit Samrej
• 2025 Australian Open 2R [LOSS] vs Learner Tien
• 2025 French Open 1R [LOSS] vs Cameron Norrie
• 2025 Wimbledon 1R [LOSS] vs Benjamin Bonzi
• 2025 US Open 1R [LOSS] vs Benjamin Bonzi

He’ll be hoping that with Johansson by his side, he won’t endure another season like this again…

Is Daniil Medvedev the favorite in Hangzhou?

Medvedev is competing as the number-two seed in Hangzhou, in a relatively strong ATP 250 field.

The 29-year-old has every chance of winning the competition and will be desperate to do so, ending his trophy-less streak in the process.

Medvedev last won a title 851 days ago, when he shocked the world by winning the Italian Open on clay.

He’s lost six finals since, but the majority of those were at the ‘big’ events on tour.

Daniil Medvedev’s losing streak in finals

• 2023 US Open – Lost to Novak Djokovic
• 2023 China Open – Lost to Jannik Sinner
• 2023 Vienna Open – Lost to Jannik Sinner
• 2024 Australian Open – Lost to Jannik Sinner
• 2024 Indian Wells – Lost to Carlos Alcaraz
• 2025 Halle Open – Lost to Alexander Bublik

Perhaps he will fare better at the ATP 250 level, should he reach the final in Hangzhou, China.

Medvedev won’t want to get too far ahead of himself, however, and will first focus on his second-round match with Basavareddy on Saturday, September 20.